Determination of Aromatic Microbial Metabolites in Blood Serum by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

We present the results of the determination of eight aromatic microbial metabolites, phenylcarboxylic acids (PhCAs), by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry after their liquid–liquid extraction from serum samples and derivatization. The analytical range for the analytes is 0.5–40 μM. The concentration of phenylcarboxylic acids in the serum of healthy donors (n = 40) and the time profile of the concentration of different PhCAs in serum samples of four patients from the intensive care unit (ICU) are studied. The results correlated with the severity of the clinical state of patients.